Civil society and journalists must unite to reverse the trend of declining media freedom before it becomes difficult to reverse, the Freedom of Expression Institute (FXI) said on Wednesday.
In a National Press Freedom Day statement, the institute said it hoped that trends such as the deteriorating state of media freedom at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) would not continue next year.
”Over the past year, South Africa has witnessed growing threats to the independence of the communications sector,” read the statement.
”There has also been a rise in pre-publication censorship and pressure on the confidentiality of journalistic sources of information, as well as sources themselves.”
The FXI said it was also concerned about the increasing trend towards media consolidation.
It criticised the Department of Home Affairs’ proposed amendment to the Film and Publications Act that would have violated the ability of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa to regulate broadcasting content independently of any other institution.
”The FXI welcomes the fact that Cabinet saw fit to postpone deliberations on the Bill, but hopes that the retrogressive attempts to subject the media to pre-publication censorship will not find their way back into the Bill, under the guise of curbing child pornography.”
The institute further noted that interim interdicts putting the brakes on publications to run stories had proved far too easy to obtain.
”Pre-publication censorship by judges is another very disturbing trend to have reared its head in the past year, where judges have usurped the right of editors to decide what goes into their newsrooms.
”For instance, an interdict was granted against several Sunday newspapers to prevent them from publishing the controversial Danish cartoons, even before at least one of these newspapers had reportedly taken a decision whether or not to publish.”
It noted that interim interdicts had damaged the ability of newspapers to report breaking news.
The FXI further called on the Criminal Procedures Act to be amended to include a shield for journalistic sources.
”Journalists have a right to protect their sources of information, including material generated in the course of news gathering,” read the statement.
”[It is] a right that should be recognised in law.”
On the recent issue of the SABC seeking an interdict against the Mail & Guardian Online publishing its report about allegations that it banned using certain analysts and commentators, the FXI called the SABC’s actions ”an abuse of public resources”.
”The FXI is also disturbed at the decision of the board to express full confidence in the group executive of news and current affairs, Snuki Zikalala, ostensibly even before a decision had been taken on whether or not to institute disciplinary proceedings against Zikalala.
”In doing so, the board has undermined due process.”
On the increasing consolidation of the South African media, the FXI noted that the sale of Johnnic Communications to Caxton newspapers meant that four major media groups would be reduced to three — an unhealthy trend for the diversity of news and information.
Meanwhile, the ruling African National Congress said that Media Freedom Day commemorated the banning in 1977 of The World and Weekend World by the apartheid government.
”[It] provides an opportunity for all South Africans to declare that never again shall the right of our people to free expression be silenced by censorship or intimidation.”
Spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama said the dark days of state censorship, bannings, harassment and imprisonment had been ”emphatically and unequivocally consigned to the past”. — Sapa